Dear John,

The most basic right in a democracy, the right to choose who will serve us in government, is under attack in dozens of states. At the same time, historic legal protections, including those in the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA), have been gutted by the Supreme Court. 

The free and fair markets on which business depends are threatened by this erosion of democratic fundamentals. At the least, confidence in our institutions is eroded, but at worst, the equal application of rules and laws for all is replaced by arbitrary and capricious decisions made to advantage a limited few. 

That is why the American Sustainable Business Council created its Business for Democracy campaign and is asking you to help advocate for voting rights. 

The House this week reintroduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which is intended to restore some of the protections of the 1965 VRA that were gutted in the Shelby decision in 2013. The bill honors the late Congressman who rose to fame after being badly beaten by Alabama law enforcement while leading the first of three voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, AL, in 1965. Images of the beatings of Lewis and other marchers and a subsequent march led by Dr. Martin Luther King helped create the momentum resulting in passage of the 1965 VRA. 

With voting rights again under attack, Congress must once again act to protect the right of every citizen to cast a ballot and have that vote counted. 

As a business leader, we ask you to join this effort by signing this letter to your Senators and Representative to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.